JJ woke up slowly, realizing she was wrapped in Dave's arms. Their legs had somehow become entwined together, and she had burrowed her face into his neck. She remembered crying on his shoulder when he'd walked her to her room at the motel the night before. They were right in the middle of a particularly hard case, and after finding the body of the little boy who had reminded her so much of her own son, she had fallen apart. Hotch had ordered the team to get some sleep—JJ was not the only one hanging on by a thread—and had asked Dave to escort her back immediately while the others locked up the evidence and said their good nights to the remaining officers back at the station.

There was just enough light coming into the room from between the curtains to let her know that it was still too early to meet the rest of the team. With an almost inaudible sigh, she snuggled back down, her breath soft against Dave's skin.

As she lay there, JJ realized that she was more content and felt more safe than she had felt in almost two years—more secure, and most importantly, more loved. Somehow, in the time since Will had been killed when Henry was only three months old, she realized, she had given her heart to Dave. Not quite sure what that realization meant, for herself or for the two of them, she decided right at that moment that nothing needed worrying about. She turned her head slightly and pressed her lips gently against the underside of Dave's jaw. His neck and face were rough with a day's growth of stubble, and it tickled her soft lips.

The feel of her lips against his skin and her slight movement against his body forced Dave's eyes open. "Jen?" he whispered, not wanting to wake her up if she was simply moving in her sleep.

"Mmm, good morning," JJ mumbled, blushing at having been caught kissing him.

"It certainly is," Dave replied with a grin, kissing the top of her head. "You feeling better this morning, bella?"

JJ nodded, unsure as to what might come out of her mouth if she tried to speak right then. She moved her top arm and wrapped it around him. She could feel him through their clothes—his muscles, still defined, and the warmth radiating from him heated her through the thin layer of her T-shirt and sleep shorts she'd changed into once they'd gotten back to her room. The T-shirt and sweatpants he'd changed into were soft against her, allowing them both to be more comfortable than his jeans and dress shirt would have.

Dave was surprised when her hand began running up and down his back, her nails scraping lightly through his shirt, the feeling causing his cock to harden even more than it already was. He'd been fairly hard since the moment he fell asleep, pressed up against her soft, supple body.

Feeling him grow harder against her, JJ nearly pleaded with a whimper, "Dave..."

"Jen, honey, come on. Let's get some more sleep before we have to meet the team."

There was nothing more Dave wanted than to kiss her senseless and make her his in the way he'd wanted since the moment she'd walked into Hotch's office to meet him several years before. He also knew there was no way she was fully awake and aware of what she was doing, and dammit, he would not take advantage of her, no matter how much he might want her.

"Mmm, not sleepy," she mumbled before sweeping a kiss across his neck. "I want you, Dave, right now." JJ knew she probably sounded whiny, but the feel of him hard and pressing against the softness of her stomach was slowly beginning to drive her insane.

"Oh, sweetheart, you aren't really awake. Trust me, you would regret it later, and I won't let you do that to yourself."

Dave hissed as her teeth scraped lightly across his collarbone.

"Don't tell me what I'll regret, David Rossi. I may be a lot of things, but I'm not stupid. I know how I feel. I've been blind to what's been between us for a long time, but my eyes are open now. I want you. When I woke up, safe and secure in your arms, I realized this was where I want to be for as long as I can have it." She gave a slow roll of her hips, the movement forcing his erection to rub against her deliciously. "If this is any indication, then you want me, too. Of course, if I'm wrong..." Her voice trailed off, suddenly worried that she was mistaken. Oh, God, what if...

JJ felt her cheeks redden in embarrassment, and she began trying to break away from him.

Dave knew immediately when JJ began thinking the wrong thing. He tightened his arms around her to stop her struggle. "JJ..."

"No, Dave, please! Let me go! Oh, God, I'm so embarr—"

Dave knew the only way to get her to stop was to make her, so he pressed his lips to hers, effectively shutting her up.

They kissed for several minutes, finally breaking apart in need of air.

"Jennifer Jareau, you have no idea how long I've wanted to hear you say those words—that you feel the same way I do. Honey, don't back down now; tell me you meant it."

JJ took a deep breath, determined to jump in with both feet, and then raised herself up so she could look him in the eyes. "I meant it, Dave. Every word. I certainly didn't plan it, but I've fallen in love with you, Agent Rossi. I think I've loved you for a very long time. I've just been too stupid to realize it."

Dave's heart fluttered so hard that he was worried he might be having a heart attack. He pressed her body down to the mattress and kissed her again, moving his body to hover over hers. "Jennifer, sweetheart, if we do this, there's no going back. I love you, and I love that little boy of yours, and I want you both in my life. Are you prepared for that?"

JJ knew the best way to convince him was to show him, so she wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him down until they were flush against one another. "Make love to me, Dave. Please," she begged softly, letting her legs fall gently back to the bed alongside his.

Dave looked down into her beautiful blue eyes and saw nothing but love and desire radiating from them. With every roll of her hips, desire zipped from his groin to his extremities until his whole body felt like a live wire. Unable to take any more, he dipped his head and captured her lips.

JJ groaned softly, her breath mingling with his as the tender kiss—just the bare touches of his lips against hers—turned to something much more heated. The soft hairs of his mustache tickled her tender skin, setting it ablaze. She had to taste him—had to find out if he tasted as good as he smelled, if he was as sweet and spicy as she'd dreamed he would be. Without showing any of the nerves rolling around inside her, she opened her mouth enough to allow her tongue to slide out and trace the firm peak of his lips, begging for entrance.

Dave felt the tip of her tongue as she opened up for him, and he wasted no time in letting her into his mouth. With a groan of his own, he sucked her tongue in, feeling it dance with his. Jennifer was an ardent kisser. Her tongue moved to taste every bit of him—tracing his teeth, teasing the roof of his mouth, and twisting and tangling with his own before he needed more.

Balancing on his knees and one hand, Dave slid his other hand lightly down the soft skin of her arm, over to her waist, past the curve of her hip, until he reached her thigh. She was so slender, his long fingers could wrap around her trim leg easily. When he hitched her leg up, aligning their clothed bodies just perfectly, JJ gasped, allowing him room to slide his tongue past her parted lips. This time, he did the exploring, relishing in the feel and taste of her.

JJ had finally had enough of the layers between them. She clawed at his shirt, drawing it up until her hands could stroke the warm skin of his back. "Off," she pleaded as they broke apart to breathe.

Dave looked deep into her eyes one last time, and seeing nothing but unwavering love and desire, he pulled away and began tugging his shirt off over his head. When he looked back, JJ had shirked out of her T-shirt, as well. He knew she hadn't been wearing a bra—her breasts weren't large, but he'd been able to feel her well enough to know she hadn't put it back one the night before—but seeing her bare, with nothing covering her upper body, was a sight he would never forget.

Her pinked-tipped breasts were begging to be touched, kissed—worshiped—and Dave was determined to do just that.

With a quiet growl, he slid back down between her legs and dipped his head down, capturing one pert nipple in his mouth before his hand moved to love on the other. His fingers began echoing his mouth, plucking at the nipple with his fingers as his teeth scraped lightly against the other, his tongue soothing away the sting.

JJ whimpered, tangling her fingers in Dave's hair as he sucked and teased her breasts. Every touch was driving her crazy, ratcheting up her need higher and higher until she felt like she would snap if he touched her just once.

She was panting as his hand moved from her breast, down her stomach, until his fingers rested at the waistband of her shorts. When he hesitated, she gasped out, "Please, Dave. Touch me."

Her soft plea was the last push Dave needed, and with sure movements, he slid his hand under the top of her shorts, under the silky panties covering her, until his fingers encountered the damp curls hiding her most intimate of places. With his own groan, Dave played lightly with those curls before slipping through her folds, finding her entrance.

JJ felt him everywhere. His mouth was still playing with her nipples, moving slowly back and forth from one to the other, as his fingers rested against her below. She'd never felt more wet, more needy than she did at that moment. She was biting her lower lip, her breath ragged as she waited, feeling like a coil tightening to the breaking point. When he pressed in gently with one finger, she arched off the bed, crying out his name as the coil snapped.

Dave felt her shatter around his finger and knew at that moment that he needed more. He needed to be inside her more than he needed his next breath.

When he felt her spasms dying away, he slipped his hand out of her shorts and drew his fingers to her breast, painting a trail of desire around her nipple. He watched her as she watched him, and when his lips closed around that peak once more, sucking off every bit of her juices, her cry let him know she wanted more, as well.

"More, Dave," she said, her voice raspy, her intent clear as she tried to reach down for his pants.

He wasted no time in divesting them both of their remaining clothes and moving back up between her thighs. Bracing himself on his elbows, his fingers brushing back the hair from sweat-dampened skin, he murmured, "Are you sure, sweetheart?"

JJ needed to feel him so badly that she ached for it. In answer to his question, she moved her feet up, pulling him to her once more until his length slipped through her folds, bumping her clit. She cried out as he moved again on his own without her prompting, hitting that spot one more time before ever-so-slowly edging his way inside her. When he could go no farther, she pulled him down for a kiss.

Their lips never parted as he slowly stroked in and out of her. Every breath, every whimper was shared between the two of them. JJ wasn't sure where she ended and Dave began, certain for the moment that they were one.

For long minutes, there was nothing but their heavy breaths, whimpers of pleasure, and long, slow touches of every inch of skin they could reach as they made love. When Dave finally reached between them and circled her clit, JJ shattered again, the spasms from deep inside her pulling his orgasm from him.

When he could breathe somewhat steadily again, Dave slid from her warmth and dropped to the mattress beside her, pulling her into his arms.

"I love you, Jennifer Jareau," he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as she curled up against his side.

Her answering hum made him smile, and he knew without a doubt that the woman beside him had been worth every trial and tribulation of his past. She was his future, her and Henry, and he would do everything in his power to make them feel as happy and as loved as he felt right that moment.

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